Austria and the Czech Republic: Explore the Best of Vienna and Prague

This morning, a local guide will meet your group at your hotel and accompany you on an immersive tour of Vienna's Innere Stadt (1st District), with its historic city center. With rich commentary on the city's history, art and culture, and visits to iconic landmarks like St Stephen's Cathedral, this is the perfect introduction to Vienna. The guided tour ends back at the hotel, and the remainder of the day is at leisure. If guests wish to explore Vienna's excellent restaurant and nightlife scene, the local guide will be happy to share some excellent options.

On this full-day tour of the Innere Stadt and Old Town in Vienna, guests will discover this UNESCO World Heritage Site with an expert guide. Being a political and cultural capital for the House of Habsburg, Vienna served as a capital of the Holy Roman Empire, the Austrian Empire, and later the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The dynasty's patronage long encouraged art, music and science, and as a result, the city of Vienna today is truly a treasure-trove of cultural attractions. This tour takes place inside of Vienna's famed Ring. Your guide will show your group Stephansplatz, which is home to Vienna's iconic St. Stephen's Cathedral. You will stroll down Karntnerstrasse, Vienna's most-famous shopping avenue and see the Vienna State Opera House located nearby. Your guide will take the time to help your group explore the imperial Hofburg Palace in-depth. Once the winter residence of the Habsburg monarchs, it now serves as the official residence of the President of Austria. The enormous palace complex plays houses several residences, offices and museums, including the Spanish Riding School, the National Library, the Burgtheater, the Natural History Museum, the Museum of Fine Arts, and the Imperial Chapel, where the famed Vienna Boys Choir performs on Sunday mornings from September to June. Your group has exclusive access to go inside the Imperial State Apartments (Kaiserappartements) to see the home of Habsburg emperors and their families. You will then continue to the Imperial Treasury (Schatzkammer), which is arguably the world's greatest treasury. At the end of the tour, guests will be escorted back to the hotel.

After breakfast, your group will set out on a scenic journey through picturesque towns and vineyards set along the Danube River in Wachau Valley. In the afternoon, guests will return to their hotel in Vienna with time to relax and freshen up before the group dinner in Grinzing.

The picturesque Wachau Valley is a UNESCO World Heritage Site set along the Danube River. The excursion takes your group west through the Vienna Woods to a fairytale land of vineyards, castles, sleepy villages and historic abbeys. As part of the tour, guests will embark on a leisurely Danube cruise from the pretty wine town of Spitz to historic Melk, home to the famed Benedictine Melk Abbey. This 11th-century baroque masterpiece is an enduring symbol of Austria and one of the most-important monastic sites in the world. Led by a knowledgeable guide, your group will enjoy an informative tour of the abbey before returning to Vienna in the late-afternoon. (Please note that Danube river cruises generally operate from April to October. For any other time, we can arrange a special lunch of regional specialties in Melk as an alternative).

Located on the outskirts of the Vienna Woods, Grinzing is best characterized by its "heurigen" or traditional wine taverns. This is the perfect opportunity to sample typical Austrian cuisine, with local wines and dishes such as Wiener schnitzel and apple strudel. Nestled amid picturesque vineyards, the dinner promises to be a memorable last evening in Austria where guests can unwind, share personal stories, and discuss the last few days' adventure, before returning to their hotel. (Please note that roundtrip transportation to Grinzing is included).

After breakfast in the hotel, your group will set out by private coach on a full-day royal castles sightseeing tour featuring Krivoklat Castle and Prague Castle. The sightseeing tour will end back at your hotel, and the evening is at leisure for you to enjoy Prague. Guests could set out to explore the Old Town Square, which is beautifully illuminated after dark, or enjoy a dinner cruise on the Vltava River with traditional Czech cuisine onboard.

On this day-long castle exploration, the first stop is the stunning Krivoklat Castle, just an hour outside of Prague. Dating back to the 12th century, Krivoklat Castle was the home of Bohemian kings and princes for centuries (as well as political prisoners during the Middle Ages). The castle's interiors are absolutely stunning; its library and royal chapel in particular. After touring the castle and free time for lunch, your castle sightseeing tour will continue with a visit to the Prague Castle complex, which is composed of many structures including towers, houses and churches. One can easily spend an entire day there and still not see everything. During your tour this afternoon your group will tour St. Vitus Cathedral, St. George's Basilica, the Old Royal Palace, Golden Lane and Daliborka Tower, all of which form part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

After breakfast in the hotel, your group will enjoy a full day at leisure to explore Prague on their own. As most of the previous day's tour was in Hradcany, the Castle District, we recommend exploring Prague's medieval Old Town, known in Czech as "Stare Mesto." Guests will find numerous interesting sights, such as the 13th-century Old New Synagogue located in Josefov, Prague's Jewish Quarter. Another must-see is Prague's magnificent Old Town Square, which is home to the city's 15th-century Astronomical Clock. For postcard-like views of the Vltava River, we suggest a stroll across the city's iconic Charles Bridge. Lastly, if your guests are a fan of the Czech Art Nouveau artist, Alphonse Mucha, they must visit to Mucha Museum, which is housed inside the baroque Kaunicky Palace. Later, your group will dine in a local restaurant to celebrate their last evening in Central Europe.

After breakfast in the hotel, your group will meet the local guide for a full-day tour of Salzburg, which will include transportation by coach and some walking. The tour will finish back at the hotel in the afternoon and guests will have the evening free to enjoy the sights and sounds of Salzburg. The last evening in Salzburg, it is the perfect opportunity to attend a Mozart Dinner Concert with live music in a restored hall. Guests can also choose to wander the vibrant Domplatz after dark, or stop by the Salzburg Marionette Theatre for a show.

This morning, your group will head off on an exciting, guided tour of scenic Salzburg, which includes transportation by coach as well as short walking excursions. As you explore the historic center of Mozart's hometown, the guide will point out the sights related to the "Sound of Music" film. Guests will visit the exquisite Mirabell Gardens, where the song "Do-Re-Mi" was filmed, the famous Horse Trough statue and the Great Festival House, designed in 1956 for the Salzburg Festival. Also included are visits to the Salzburg Cathedral and the historic Domplatz or Cathedral Square, and the impressive St. Peter's Churchyard. On Getreidegasse street, participants will have the chance to view the birthplace of Mozart. There will be free time for lunch, after which, guests will travel by private coach to the shores of Lake Mondsee, to see the famous church where the wedding of Maria and Captain Von Trapp was filmed for "Sound of Music". Guests will be transported back to the hotel afterward.

This morning, your group will check out of the hotel and travel by private coach to Salzburg Airport for the return flight back home.